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Six 
1921 


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Turner 


Six  WHO 

PASS  WHILE 

THE  LENTILS 

BOIL 


BY 


STUART  WALKER 


SAMUEL  FRENCH,  INC. 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

25  WEST  45rn  STREET 

LOS  ANGELES,   CALIF. 

811  WEST  7ra  STREET 
SAMUEL  FRENCH,  LTD., 

LONDON 

SAMUEL  FRENCH  (CANADA)  LTD., 

TORONTO 

PRICE  35  CENTS 


A  LOVE  SCENE 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Florence  Ryerson  &  Colin 
Clements.  2  males,  2  females.  Interior.  Modern 
costumes.  30  minutes. 

Gaston  Belong,  a  playwright  famous  for  his  beautiful  love 
scenes,  becomes  so  engrossed  in  his  work  that  he  forgets  to 
make  love  to  his  wife.  A  shy  young  man  comes  to  offer  him  a 
large  sum  of  money  to  write  him  a  love  scene  to  use  on  a  mys 
terious  lady.  After  accepting  his  offer,  the  playwright  discovers 
the  unknown  lady  is  his  own  wife.  By  a  bit  of  clever  headwork, 
he  remembers  his  own  proposal,  rewrites  it  for  the  young  man, 
and,  by  so  doing,  reminds  his  wife  of  their  youthful  love  and 
regains  her  affections. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  In  Angels  Don't  Marry  and  Other  One-Act 
Plays,  $1.50;  also  separately,  35  cents. 

SCENARIO  BY  JULIAN 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  John  Kirkpatrick.  2  males,  4  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Julian,  successful  author  of  Broadway  plays  and  Hollywood 
films,  is  recuperating  from  bronchitis  at  the  home  of  John  and 
Isabelle.  He  enjoys  being  lionized  but  is  very  resentful  when 
people  ask,  "Where  do  you  get  your  ideas  and  stories  from?" 
When  a  particularly  obnoxious  woman  asks  this  question  on 
top  of  a  catty  remark  about  Isabelle's  husband  and  the  girl 
from  next  door,  Julian  undertakes  to  punish  her  and  at  the 
same  time  to  solve  a  rather  delicate  situation  by  "plotting"  a 
story  and  using  the  actual  people  as  characters. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 

HIS  FIRST  DATE 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  James  Reach.  2  males,  4  females. 
Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

A  hilariously  amusing  episode,  notable  for  its  shrewd  por 
trait  of  a  sixteen-year-old  boy.  Henry  is  wild,  mischievous, 
fond  of  boyish  pranks,  but  his  mother  takes  comfort  from  the 
knowledge  that  he's  not  involved  in  affairs  with  the  opposite 
sex.  Then  the  blow  falb:  Loraine  Lotus,  Hollywood  siren, 
comes  to  town  and  Henry  succumbs.  Henry's  father,  deter 
mined  to  put  an  end  to  the  affair  in  his  masterly  way,  is  dis 
mayed  to  discover  that  Loraine  Lotus  is  a  girl  he  knew  very 
well  indeed  years  ago  in  his  own  wild-oats  days. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


SIX  WHO  PASS  WHILE  THE 
LENTILS  BOIL 


Six  WHO  PASS  WHILE 
THE  LENTILS  BOIL 


BY 


STUART  WALKER 


SAMUEL  FRENCH,  INC. 


NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

25  WEST  45TH  STREET 


LOS  ANGELES,   CALIF. 

811  WEST  7TH  STREET 


SAMUEL  FRENCH,  LTD.,  LONDON 
SAMUEL  FRENCH    (CANADA)   LTD.,  TORONTO 


COPYRIQHT,  1921,  by  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 

Especial  notice  should  be  taken  that  the  possession  of  this 
book  without  a  valid  contract  for  production  first  having 
been  obtained  from  the  publisher  confers  no  right  or  license 
to  professionals  or  amateurs  to  produce  the  play  publicly  or 
in  private  for  gain  or  charity. 

In  its  present  form  this  play  is  dedicated  to  the  reading 
public  only,  and  no  performance,  representation,  production, 
recitation,  public  reading  or  radio  broadcasting  may  be  given 
except  by  special  arrangement  with  Samuel  French,  at  25 
West  45th  Street,  New  York  City,  or  at  811  West  7th  Street, 
Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  or  with  Samuel  French  (Canada)  Ltd., 
480  University  Ave.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

This  play  may  be  presented  by  amateurs  upon  payment  of  a 
royalty  of  Ten  Dollars  for  each  performance,  payable  to 
Samuel  French,  at  25  West  45th  Street,  New  York,  or  at 
811  West  7th  Street,  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  or  to  Samuel 
French  (Canada)  Ltd.,  480  University  Ave.,  Toronto,  Canada, 
one  week  before  the  date  when  the  play  is  given. 

Professional  royalty  quoted  on  application  to  Samuel 
French,  at  25  West  45th  Street,  New  York,  or  at  811  West 
7th  Street,  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  or  to  Samuel  French  (Canada) 
Ltd.,  480  University  Ave.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

The  right  of  performance  is  not  transferable  and  is  strictly 
forbidden  in  cases  where  copies  are  loaned,  hired  or  purchased 
second  hand  from  a  third  party. 

Whenever  the  play  is  produced  the  following  notice  must 
appear  on  all  programs,  printing  and  advertising  for  the  play : 
"Produced  by  special  arrangement  with  Samuel  French." 

WARNING 

The  copying,  either  of  separate  parts  or  the  whole  of  this 
work  by  any  process  whatsoever,  is  forbidden  by  law  and 
subject  to  the  penalties  prescribed  by  Section  28  of  the  Copy 
right  Law,  in  force  July  1,  1909. 

Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


K//H 


It  is  advisable  in  presenting  Six  WHO  PASS  to  precede 
the  play  with  the  Prologue  to  The  Portmanteau  Theatre, 
which  is  to  be  found  in  PORTMANTEAU  PLAYS  by  Stuart 
Walker. 

A  delightful  evening  of  plays  can  be  made  up  of  (i) 
The  Prologue  to  the  Portmanteau  Theatre,  (2)  THE 
TRIMPLET,  (3)  NEVERTHELESS  or  THE  VERY  NAKED  BOY 
or  THE  MEDICINE  SHOW,  (4)  Six  WHO  PASS  WHILE  THE 
LENTILS  BOIL.  All  these  plays  can  be  found  in  PORT 
MANTEAU  PLAYS  or  MORE  PORTMANTEAU  PLAYS  by 
Stuart  Walker,  published  by  D.  Appleton  and  Company. 

It  is  advisable  in  playing  Six  WHO  PASS  not  to  at 
tempt  any  sort  of  mechanical  arrangement  of  the  But 
terfly.  A  personification  of  it  would  be  even  more  dis 
tracting.  The  best  plan  to  follow  is  to  have  a  stationary, 
large  butterfly  poised  somewhere  near  the  windows  in  the 
back  wall  of  the  kitchen. 


386 


SIX  WHO  PASS  WHILE  THE 
LENTILS  BOIL 

First  performance  at  Christodora  House,  New  York  City, 
July  14,  1915 

PROLOGUE  TO  THE  THEATRE Hugh  Dillman 

PROLOGUE  TO  THE  PLAY Henry  Kiefer 

THE  DEVICE-BEARER Edmond  Crenshaw 

IN  THE  AUDIENCE  . .  .  .Francis  Stevens 


THE  BOY James  W.  Morrison 

THE  QUEEN Judith  Lowry 

THE  MIME Richard  Farrell 

THE  MILKMAID Nancy  Winston 

THE  BLINDMAN Joseph  Graham 

THE  BALLAD-SINGER Tom  Powers 

THE  HEADSMAN McKay  Morris 

At  this  performance,  which  was  not  open  to  the  pub 
lic,  Oscar  Craik  manipulated  the  mechanism  of  the 
Butterfly.  At  later  performances  it  was  decided  to  avoid 
this  disturbing  element  in  so  simple  a  play,  and  ever  after 
the  Butterfly  poised  where  he  could  see  and  hear,  but 
not  distract. 

First  public  performance  at  Jordan  Hall,  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  February  14,  1916,  and  at  the  39th 
Street  Theatre,  New  York  City,  November  27,  1916. 

PROLOGUE  TO  THE  THEATRE Florence  Wollersen 

PROLOGUE  TO  THE  PLAY Lew  Medbury 

THE  DEVICE-BEARER Edmond  Crenshaw 

IN  THE  AUDIENCE Agnes  Rogers 


THE  BOY Gregory  Kelly 

THE  QUEEN Judith  Lowry 

THE  MIME Wilmot  Heitland* 

THE  MILKMAID Nancy  Winston 

THE  BLINDMAN Edgar  Stehli 

THE  BALLAD-SINGER Stuart  Walker 

THE  HEADSMAN McKay  Morris 

*  Played  in  New  York  by  Willard  Webster.  When  the  play  was  "revived" 
in  Indianapolis  and  Chicago  in  1917,  the  Headsman  was  played  by  George 
GauL 

6 


THE  BOY 

THE  QUEEN 

THE  MIME 

THE  MILKMAID 

THE  BLINDMAN 

THE  BALLAD-SINGER 

THE  DREADFUL  HEADSMAN 

You  (in  the  audience] 

The  Scene  is  a  kitchen 

The  Period  is  when  you  will 


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SIX  WHO  PASS  WHILE  THE 
LENTILS  BOIL 

[Before  the  opening  of  the  curtains  the  Prologue 
enters  upon  the  forestage  and  summons  the 
Device-Bearer,  who  carries  a  large  copper  pot.] 

PROLOGUE 

This  is  a  copper  pot.  (The  Device-Bearer 
shows  it  to  the  audience  carefully)  It  is  filled 
with  boiling  water.  (The  Device-Bearer  makes 
the  sound  of  bubbling  water)  It  is  on  the  fire. 
See  the  flames.  (The  Device-Bearer  sets  the 
pot  in  the  center  of  the  forestage  and  blows  un 
der  it  with  a  pair  of  bellows)  And  see  the 
water  boiling  over.  (The  Device-Bearer  again 
makes  the  sound  of  bubbling  water  and  then 
withdraws  to  where  he  can  see  the  play  from 
the  side  of  the  forestage)  We  are  looking  into 
the  kitchen  of  the  Boy,  whose  mother  left  him 
alone.  I  do  not  know  where  she  has  gone,  but 
I  do  know  that  he  is  gathering  lentils  now. 

YOU 

What  are  lentils? 

PROLOGUE 

A  lentil?  Why,  a  lentil,  don't  you  see,  is  not 
a  bean  nor  yet  a  pea;  but  it  is  kin  to  both.  .  . 
You  must  imagine  that  the  boy  has  built  the  fire 
and  set  the  water  boiling.  He  is  very  indus 
trious,  but  you  need  not  feel  sorry  for  him.  His 

9 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


mother  is  very  good  to  him  and  he  is  safe.  Are 
you  ready  now  ? .  . .  Very  well.  Be  quiet.  ( The 
Prologue  claps  his  hands  twice.  The  curtains 
open  and  a  kitchen  is  disclosed.  There  are  a 
bench,  a  stool,  and  a  cupboard.  A  great  door 
at  the  back  opens  into  a  corridor.  There  are 
also  two  windows — one  higher  than  the  other 
looking  upon  the  corridor.  At  the  right  a  door 
opens  into  the  bedroom  of  the  Boy's  mother. 
A  great  pewter  spoon  lies  upon  the  shelf  in  the 
cupboard.  A  large  Butterfly  comes  in  through 
the  doorway,  flits  about  and  looks  of  stage. 
The  song  of  the  Boy  is  heard  from  the  garden. 
The  Butterfly  goes  to  the  door,  poises  a  mo 
ment,  then  alights  on  the  cupboard.  The  Boy 
enters  with  a  great  bowl  filled  with  lentils.  The 
Butterfly  flies  to  the  bowl  and,  satisfied,  returns 
to  the  cupboard.  The  Boy  smiles  at  the  Butter 
fly,  but  he  does  not  touch  him.  Then  he  emp 
ties  the  lentils  into  the  pot  and  water  splashes 
on  his  careless  hand.  A  moan  is  heard  in  the 
distance.  The  Boy  and  the  Butterfly  go  to  the 
door.  The  Queen's  voice  is  heard  calling:) 
Butterfly,  Butterfly,  where  shall  I  hide?  (En 
ter  the  Queen.) 

QUEEN 

Boy,  Boy — oh,  I  am  distraught! 
YOU 

What  is  distraught? 

PROLOGUE 

Distraught  means  distracted,  perplexed,  beset 
with  doubt,  worried  by  some  fear. 
BOY  (pityingly) 

Why  are  you  distraught? 

10 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

QUEEN 

Oh— oh — oh — They  are  going  to  behead  me ! 

BOY 
When? 

QUEEN 

Before  mid-day. 

BOY 

Why  are  they  going  to  behead  you?  Is  it  a 
story?  Tell  it  to  me. 

QUEEN 

I  was  guilty  of  a  breach  of  etiquette. 
BOY 

What  is  that? 

QUEEN 

I  did  something  that  was  considered  bad  man 
ners,  and  the  law  says  the  punishment  is  decapi 
tation. 

YOU 

What  is  decapitation? 

PROLOGUE 

Decapitation  is  beheading — cutting  off  one's 
head. 

BOY 

Why,  only  kings  and  queens  can  be  decapitated. 

QUEEN 

Oh,  I  know — I  know — 
BOY  (disappointed) 
Are  you  a  queen? 

QUEEN 

Yes. 

BOY 

I  thought  all  queens  were  big.    My  mother  says 
they  are  always  regal.    And  my  mother  knows, 
ii 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


QUEEN 

Oh,  I  am  the  queen.  I  am  the  queen;  but  I 
am  so  unhappy. 

BOY 

My  mother  told  me  kings  and  queens  knew  no 
fear.  Why,  you're  afraid! 

QUEEN 

Oh,  Boy,  Boy,  I  am  your  queen,  and  I  am  afraid 
and  unhappy.  And  queens  are  just  like  other 
people  when  they  are  afraid  and  unhappy. 

BOY  (disappointed) 

Aren't  they  always  regal? 

QUEEN 

No — no.     Oh,  little  boy,  hide  me!    Hide  me 

from  the  Dreadful  Headsman ! 
BOY 

I  haven't  any  place  to  hide  you.    You  couldn't 

get  under  the  bench,  and  you  couldn't  get  into 

the  cupboard. 
QUEEN 

Little  boy,  can't  you  see  that  I  shall  lose  my 

head  if  I  am  found? 

BOY 

You  might  have  hidden  in  the  pot  if  I  hadn't 
put  it  on  the  fire. 

QUEEN 

Oh— Oh— Oh— 

BOY 

I'm  sorry. 

QUEEN 

I  am  distraught. 
BOY 

Well,  I'll  hide  you  because  you  are  distraught; 

12 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

but — I  am  not  sure  you  are  a  queen.  .  .  . 
Where's  your  crown?  You  can't  be  a  queen 
without  a  crown !  (She  reaches  up  to  her  head.) 

QUEEN 

Oh,  I  was  running  so  fast  that  it  must  have 
slipped  from  my  head.  (Sees  the  Butterfly) 
Butterfly,  tell  him  I  am  your  Queen.  (The  But- 
terfly  flies  to  her  head  and  lights  on  her  dis 
heveled  locks  like  a  diadem.) 

BOY 

Oh,  I  have  talked  to  the  Queen !  .  .  .  You 
can  hide  in  my  mother's  bed-room  in  there ;  but 
first  please  tell  me  a  story. 

QUEEN 

They  will  find  me  here.  I'll  tell  you  a  story 
afterward. 

BOY 

I  want  you  to  tell  me  now. 

QUEEN 

Well,  you  watch  at  the  door  and  warn  me  when 
you  see  someone  coming.  (The  Butterfly 
brushes  her  ear)  But  stay,  the  Butterfly  says 
he'll  watch.  (The  Butterfly  goes  to  the  door.) 

BOY 

Will  he  know? 

QUEEN 

Oh,  yes.  He  is  a  wonderful  butterfly — wise 
beyond  his  years. 

BOY 

Sit  down  and  tell  me  your  story.  (He  places 
a  black  pillow  for  the  Queen  on  the  step  and  ar 
orange  pillow  for  himself.) 

13 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


QUEEN 

Last  night  we  celebrated  the  second  year  of 
peace  with  the  neighboring  kingdom.  We  were 
dancing  the  minuet  just  after  the  banquet,  when 
I  stepped  on  the  ring-toe  of  my  husband,  the 
King's  great-aunt. 
BOY 

Didn't  you  say  excuse  me? 

QUEEN 

It  was  useless.  The  law  says  that  if  a  queen 
steps  on  the  ring-toe  of  the  King's  great-aunt 
or  any  member  of  her  family  the  Queen  must 
be  beheaded  while  the  King's  four  clocks  are 
striking  twelve  at  mid-day. 

BOY 

Oh,  that  means  to-day? 

QUEEN 

Yes. 

BOY 

Why,  it's  almost  mid-day  now.     See,  I've  just 
set  the  lentils  boiling. 
QUEEN 

If  you  can  hide  me  until  after  the  King's  four 
clocks  strike  twelve  I  shall  be  safe. 
BOY 

Why  are  there  four  clocks? 

QUEEN 

Because  the  law  allows  only  one  clock  for  each 
tower  in  the  castle. 
BOY 

Then  I  hear  all  the  King's  clocks  every  day! 
There's  a  big  clock,  and  two  clocks  not  so  big, 
and  a  tiny  little  clock. 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

QUEEN 

Yes,  those  are  the  four. 

BOY 

Why  will  you  be  safe  after  the  four  clocks  strike 
twelve  ? 

QUEEN 

Because  that  is  the  law. 

BOY 

Aren't  laws  funny? 

QUEEN 

Funny?    This  one  is  very  sad,  I  think. 

BOY 

Mightn't  it  be  twelve  any  mid-day? 

QUEEN 

No ;  the  Prime  Minister  of  my  grandfather  who 
passed  the  law  decided  that  it  meant  only  the 
following  mid-day. 

BOY 

(rising  and  rushing  to  the  door)  They'll  find 
you  here. 

QUEEN 

(rising  calmly)  Oh,  no ;  this  is  the  short  cut  to 
the  beheading  block.  Through  that  corridor. 

BOY 

Why  didn't  you  run  the  other  way? 

QUEEN 

Because  they  always  search  for  escaped  people 
in  that  direction.  So  I  ran  through  your  gar 
den  and  into  this  room.  They'll  never  search 
for  me  so  close  to  the  castle. 

BOY 

How  did  you  escape? 
15 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


QUEEN 

I —     (The  Butterfly  seems  agitated.) 
BOY 
You— 

QUEEN 

Someone  is  coming!     Hide  me! 

BOY 

In  here — in  my  mother's  room.  'Sh!  'Sh! 
(The  Queen  goes  out.  Enter  the  Mime.  He 
pokes  his  head  in  the  lower  window  and  peeps 
around  the  door.  The  boy  turns.) 

BOY  (weakly) 

Are  you  the  Dreadful  Headsman? 

MIME 

What? 
BOY 

Are  you  the  Dreadful  Headsman? 

MIME 

Do  I  look  like  a  headsman? 
BOY 

I  don't  know;  I've  never  seen  one. 

MIME 

Well,  suppose  I  am? 
BOY 

Are  you  ? 

MIME 

Maybe  I  am, 

BOY 

Oh! 

MIME 

Booh! 

BOY 

I'm — I'm — not  afraid. 
16 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

MIME 

Bah! 

BOY 

And  my  mother  isn't  here. 
MIME 

Br  —  r  —  r  —  r  !   (  The  Boy  reaches  for  his  knife.) 
MIME 

Bing! 

BOY 

I  wasn't  going  to  hurt  you  ! 
MIME 


BOY 

I'll  give  you  my  knife  if  you'll  go  'way. 

MIME 

Ah—  ha  ! 

BOY 

It's  nearly  mid-day  and  you'd  better  go. 

MIME 

Well,  give  me  the  knife. 

BOY 

Promise  me  to  go, 

MIME 

(laughs,  turning  away)     Aren't  you  going  to 
the  beheading? 

BOY 

No.    I  have  to  boil  the  lentils  for  our  mid-day 
meal. 

MIME 

May  I  come  back  and  eat  some? 
BOY 

You'll  have  to  ask  my  mother. 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


MIME 

Where  is  she? 
BOY 

She's  over  that  way.  She  went  to  the  market 
to  buy  a  bobbin. 

YOU 

What  is  a  bobbin? 

PROLOGUE 

A  bobbin  is  a  spool  upon  which  thread  is  wound, 
and  it  is  sharp  at  one  end  so  that  it  can  be  easily 
passed  backward  and  forward,  to  and  fro, 
through  the  other  threads  in  making  lace. 

MIME 

(starting  of)  Well,  I'll  be  back  to  eat  some 
lentils. 

BOY  (too  eagerly) 
You'd  better  hurry. 

MIME 

You  seem  to  want  to  get  rid  of  me. 
BOY  (allaying  suspicion) 

Well,  I  think  you'd  better  go  or  you'll  be  late — 
and  it's  very  wrong  to  be  late. 

MIME 

(going  toward  the  door)  I  think  I'll —  (chang 
ing  his  mind)  sit  down. 

BOY  (disappointed) 
Oh! 

MIME 

What  would  you  say  if  I  wasn't  the  Heads 
man? 

BOY 

But  you  said  you  were. 
18 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

MIME 

I  said  maybe  I  was. 

BOY 

Aren't  you  ? 

MIME 

Maybe  I'm  not. 
BOY 

Honest? 

MIME 

Um,  hum. 

BOY  (relieved) 
Oh!     ... 

MIME 

You  were  afraid. 
BOY 

No    ...    I  wasn't. 

MIME 

Would  you  fight? 
BOY 

You  bet  I  would. 

MIME 

It  wouldn't  take  me  a  minute  to  lick  you. 
BOY 

Maybe  it  wouldn't;  but  I  wouldn't  give  up  right 

away.    That  would  be  cowardly.    .    .    .    Who 

are  you? 
MIME 

I'm  a  mime — 
BOY 

What's  a  mime? 
MIME 

A  mime's  a  mime. 

19 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

Go  on  and  tell  me. 

MIME 

A  mime's  a  mountebank. 
BOY 

What's  a  mountebank? 
MIME 

A  mountebank's  a  strolling  player. 
BOY 

Are  you  going  to  perform  for  me? 

MIME 

Not  to-day— I'm  on  my  way  to  the  decapita 
tion. 

BOY 

Do  you  want  to  see  the  decapitation? 

MIME 

Well,  yes.     But  most  of  all,  I  want  to  pick  up 
a  few  coins. 
BOY 

How? 

MIME 

Why,  I'll  perform  after  the  Queen  has  lost  her 
head. 

BOY 

Won't  you  be  too  sorry? 

MIME 

No.  You  see,  I'll  be  thinking  mostly  about 
what  I'm  going  to  do.  I  have  to  do  my  best 
because  it  is  hard  to  be  more  interesting  than  a 
decapitation.  And  after  it's  all  over  the  crowd 
will  begin  to  talk  and  to  move  about,  and  I'll 
have  to  rush  up  to  the  front  of  them  and  cry 
out  at  the  top  of  my  lungs,  "Stop — Ho,  for 
20 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

Jack  the  Juggler!  Would  you  miss  him?  In 
London,  where  the  king  of  kings  lives,  all  the 
knights  and  ladies  of  the  Court  would  leave  a 
crowning  to  watch  Jack  the  Juggler  toss  three 
golden  balls  with  one  hand  or  balance  a  weather- 
vane  upon  his  nose."  Then  a  silence  will  come 
upon  the  crowd  and  they  will  all  turn  to  me. 
Someone  will  say,  "Where  is  this  Jack  the  Jug 
gler?"  And  I  shall  answer,  "Jack  the  Juggler, 
the  greatest  of  the  great,  the  pet  of  kings,  en 
tertainer  to  the  Pope  and  the  joy  of  Cathay 
stands  before  you."  And  I'll  throw  back  my 
cloak  and  stand  revealed.  So!  Someone  will 
then  shout,  uLet  us  have  it,  Jack !"  So  I'll  draw 
my  three  golden  balls  from  my  pouch — like  this 
— and  then  begin.  (The  Boy  is  watching 
breathlessly,  and  the  Butterfly  is  interested,  too. 
Their  disappointment  is  keen  when  Jack  does 
nothing.) 
BOY 

Aren't  you  going  to  show  me? 

MIME 

No,  I  must  be  off. 

BOY 

Aren't  you  ever  coming  back? 

MIME 

Maybe,  yes;  perhaps,  no. 
BOY 

I'll  give  you  some  lentils  if  you'll  juggle  the 
balls  for  me. 

MIME 

(sniffs  the  pot)    They  aren't  cooked  yet. 

BOY 

Let  me  hold  your  golden  balls. 
21 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


MIME 

(takes  a  gold  ball  from  his  pouch  and  lets  the 
Boy  hold  it)  Here's  one. 

BOY 

And  do  they  pay  you  well? 

MIME 

(taking  the  ball  from  the  Boy)  Ay,  that  they 
do.  If  I  am  as  interesting  as  the  beheading  I'll 
get  perhaps  fifteen  farthings  in  money  and  other 
things  that  I  can  exchange  for  food  and  raiment. 

BOY 

I'm  going  to  be  a  mime  and  buy  a  castle  and  a 
sword. 

MIME 

Maybe  so,  and  maybe  not.  Who  knows  ?  .  .  . 
Good-bye.  (He  goes  out.) 

BOY 

(to  the  Butterfly)  If  he  had  been  the  Dread 
ful  Headsman  I  would  have  slain  him.  So! 
.  .  .  "Ah,  wicked  Headsman,  you  shall  not 
behead  the  Queen!  .  .  .  Cross  not  that 
threshold,  or  I'll  run  you  through."  (Through 
out  this  the  Butterfly  shows  great  interest  and 
enters  into  the  spirit  of  it,  being  absorbed  at 
times  and  frightened  at  others.  Enter  the  Milk 
maid  at  door.) 

MILKMAID 

Pst!    .    .    .    Pst! 

BOY  (startled) 
Oh! 

MILKMAID 

Are  you  going  to  the  decapitation? 
22 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

No.    Are  you? 

MILKMAID 

That  I  am. 
BOY 

Will  your  mother  let  you  go? 

MILKMAID 

She  doesn't  know. 
BOY 

Did  you  run  away? 

MILKMAID 

No,    I  went  out  to  milk  the  cow. 
BOY 

And  did  you  do  it? 

MILKMAID 

Yes. 

BOY 

Why  didn't  you  wait  until  you  came  back? 

MILKMAID 

My  mother  was  looking,  and  I  had  to  let  her 
see  me  doing  something. 
BOY 

How  did  you  get  away  when  you  took  the  milk 
pails  into  the  house  ? 

MILKMAID 

I  didn't  take  them  in.  As  soon  as  my  mother 
turned  her  back  I  hid  the  pails  and  I  ran  through 
here  to  take  a  short  cut. 

BOY 

Where  did  you  hide  the  milk? 
MILKMAID 

In  the  hollow  tree. 

23 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

Won't  it  sour? 

MILKMAID 

Maybe. 
BOY 

Won't  your  mother  scold  you? 

MILKMAID 

Yes,  of  course ;  but  I  couldn't  miss  the  behead 
ing. 

BOY 

Will  you  take  the  sour  milk  home? 

MILKMAID 

Yes;  and  after  my  mother  scolds  me,  I'll  make 
it  into  nice  cheese  and  sell  it  to  the  King's  Cook, 
and  then  mother  will  forgive  me. 
BOY 

(sniffing  the  pot)     You'd  better  hurry.     It's 
nearly  mid-day.     Don't  you  smell  the  lentils? 

MILKMAID 

The  Headsman  hasn't  started  yet. 
BOY  (giggling) 

He'd  better  hurry. 

MILKMAID 

They  can't  find  the  Queen. 
BOY  (so  innocently) 
Did  she  escape? 

MILKMAID 

Yes. 

BOY 

Are  they  hunting  for  her? 

MILKMAID 

Yes;  and  they've  offered  a  big  reward  to  the 
person  who  finds  her. 

24 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

How  much? 

MILKMAID 

A  pail  of  gold  and  a  pair  of  finger  rings. 

BOY 

That's  a  good  deal.  .  .  .  With  a  pail  of  gold 
I  could  buy  my  mother  a  velvet  dress  and  a 
silken  kerchief  and  a  bonnet  made  of  cloth  of 
gold — and  I  could  buy  myself  a  milk-white 
palfry. 

MILKMAID 

And  you'd  never  have  to  work  again. 

BOY 

But  she's  such  a  gentle  queen.  Where  are  they 
hunting  her  ? 

MILKMAID 

Everywhere. 

BOY 

Everywhere !  .  .  .  Maybe  she's  waiting  at 
the  beheading  block! 

MILKMAID 

Silly  goose!  She  wouldn't  try  to  escape  this 
way.  She'd  go  in  the  opposite  direction. 

BOY 

Do  people  always  run  in  the  opposite  direction? 

MILKMAID 

Of  course;  everybody  knows  that. 

BOY 

I  wish  I  could  go. 

MILKMAID 

Come  on. 
BOY 

Um — uh.    The  lentils  might  burn. 

25 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


MILKMAID 

Pour  some  cold  water  on  them. 

BOY 

Um — huh.  I  promised  I  wouldn't  leave  the 
house. 

MILKMAID 

Oh,  it  will  be  wonderful ! 

BOY 

The  Mime  will  be  there. 

MILKMAID 

The  one  with  the  long  cloak  and  the  golden 
balls? 

BOY 

Um — huh. 

MILKMAID 

Ooh! 

BOY 

How  did  you  know? 

MILKMAID 

I  saw  him  on  the  way  to  the  market  one  day — 
and  when  my  mother  wasn't  looking  at  me  I 
gave  him  a  farthing. 

BOY 

Is  he  a  good  juggler? 

MILKMAID 

He's  magic!  Why,  he  can  throw  three  golden 
balls  in  the  air  and  catch  them  with  one  hand 
and  then  keep  them  floating  in  the  air  in  a  circle. 

BOY 

And  can  he  balance  a  weathervane  on  his  nose 
while  it's  turning? 

26 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

MILKMAID 

Yes;  and  he  can  balance  an  egg  on  the  end  of 
a  long  stick  that  is  balanced  on  his  chin ! 

BOY 

Oh — I  wish  I  could  see  him.  (Looks  at  the 
pot  to  see  if  the  lentils  are  done.) 

MILKMAID 

Come  on! 

BOY 

Well —  (Begins  to  weaken,  and  just  as  he  is 
about  to  start,  the  Butterfly  flits  past  him  into 
the  Queenys  room.) 

MILKMAID 

Oh — what  a  lovely  butterfly! 

BOY 

No — No — I  can't  go.  But  you  had  better 
hurry. 

MILKMAID 

Well,  I'll  try  to  catch  the  butterfly  first. 
BOY 

Oh,  no ;  you  mustn't  touch  that  butterfly. 

MILKMAID 

Why? 
BOY 

Because — because  he's  my  friend. 
MILKMAID 

Silly! 

BOY 

He  is  a  good  friend ;  and  he's  the  wisest  butter 
fly  in  the  world. 

MILKMAID 

What  can  he  do? 

27 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

He  can  almost  talk. 

MILKMAID 

Almost?  .  .  .  Oh,  I  know.  I'm  a  goose. 
You  want  to  play  a  trick  on  me  so  I'll  miss  the 
beheading. 

BOY 

You'd  better  hurry. 

MILKMAID 

I  wish  you'd  come. 

BOY  (sadly) 

I  can't.     I've  a  duty  to  perform. 

MILKMAID 

Aren't  duties  always  hard?  (Both  sigh.  She 
takes  up  her  milk  pail.) 

BOY 

What  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  pail? 

MILKMAID 

I'm  going  to  stand  on  it.  ...  Good-bye. 
(She  goes  out.) 

BOY 

Good-bye.  (He  watches  for  a  moment,  then 
goes  to  the  pot  and  tries  the  lentils;  then  whis 
pers  through  door  to  the  Queen)  The  lentils 
are  getting  soft.  (There  is  a  fumbling  in  the 
passage  and  a  'voice  is  heard)  Help  the  blind ! 
Help  the  blind!  (The  Butterfly  returns  to  the 
top  of  the  cupboard.  The  Blindman  appears 
at  the  door.) 

PROLOGUE 

He's  blind,  but  he'll  show  you  how  the  blind 
can  see. 

28 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BLINDMAN  (sniffing) 
Cooking  lentils? 

BOY 

Yes. 

BLINDMAN 

Cook,  which  way  to  the  beheading? 

BOY 

Keep  straight  ahead — the  way  you  are  going, 
old  man. 

BLINDMAN 

Don't  you  want  to  take  me  with  you  ? 

BOY 

I'm  not  going. 

BLINDMAN 

Not  going  to  the  beheading? 

BOY 

No ;  I  have  to  cook  the  lentils. 

BLINDMAN 

Come  on  and  go  with  me  and  maybe  I'll  give 
you  a  farthing. 

BOY 

I  can't. 

BLINDMAN 

Yes,  you  can.    Who  else  is  here? 

BOY 

(swallowing — it's  hard  to  fib)     No  one. 

BLINDMAN 

Can't  you  run  away  ?    Your  mother  won't  know 
you've  gone. 

BOY 

It's  my  duty  to  stay  here. 
29 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BLINDMAN 

It's  your  duty  to  help  a  poor  blindman,  little 
boy. 

BOY 

Are  you  stone  blind? 

BLINDMAN 

Yes. 

BOY 

Then  how  did  you  know  I  was  a  little  boy? 

BLINDMAN 

Because  you  sound  like  a  little  boy. 
BOY 

Well,  if  you're  stone  blind,  why  do  you  want 
to  go  to  the  beheading? 

BLINDMAN 

I  can  see  with  my  ears. 
BOY 

Aw — 

BLINDMAN 

Didn't  I  know  you  were  a  little  boy? 
BOY 

Yes,  but  you  had  to  guess  twice.     First  you 
thought  I  was  a  cook. 

BLINDMAN 

Well,  aren't  you  cooking  lentils  ? 
BOY 

Yes;  but  you  can  smell  them. 

BLINDMAN 

Well,  I  see  with  my  nose,  too. 

BOY 

Aw — how  can  you  see  with  your  nose? 
30 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BLINDMAN 

If  you  give  me  some  bread  I'll  show  you. 

BOY 

I  can't  give  you  any  bread;  but  I'll  give  you 
some  raw  lentils. 

BLINDMAN 

All  right.    Give  me  lentils. 

BOY 

.     .     .     I'll  put  them  by  the  pot.     Ready ! 

BLINDMAN 

All  right.  (Sniffs.  Walks  to  the  pot  and  gets 
lentils  and  puts  them  in  an  old  pouch)  Isn't 
that  seeing  with  my  nose  ? 

BOY 

H'm!  (In  wonder)  Now  see  with  your  ears 
and  I'll  give  you  some  more  lentils. 

BLINDMAN 

All  right.     Speak.     (The  Boy  gets  behind  the 
stool  and  speaks.     The  Blindman  goes  toward 
him.     The  Boy  moves  around  stealthily.) 
BLINDMAN 

You're  cheating.    You've  moved. 

BOY 

(jumping  up  on  the  bench)    Well,  where  am  I  ? 

BLINDMAN 

You're  standing  on  something. 
BOY 

How  did  you  guess  it? 

BLINDMAN 

I  didn't  guess  it.    I  know  it. 
BOY 

Why  can't  I  do  that? 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BLINDMAN 

You  can  if  you  try;  but  it  takes  practice. 
BOY 

Can  you  see  the  door  now? 

BLINDMAN 

No.  I've  turned  around  too  many  times.  Be 
sides,  there  is  more  than  one  doer. 

BOY 

Oh — m-m.    .    .    .    You  aren't  really  blind! 

BLINDMAN 

Blind  people  learn  to  use  what  they  have.  Once 
I,  too,  could  see  with  my  eyes. 

BOY 

Just  like  me  ? 

BLINDMAN 

Yes.  And  then  I  didn't  take  the  trouble  to  see 
with  my  ears  and  my  nose  and  my  fingers — after 
I  became  blind  I  had  to  learn.  .  .  .  Why,  I 
can  tell  whether  a  man  who  passes  me  at  the 
palace  gate  is  a  poor  man  or  a  noble  or  a  mer 
chant. 

BOY 

How  can  you  do  that? 

BLINDMAN 

By  the  sound  of  the  step. 
BOY 

Aw — how  can  you  do  that? 

BLINDMAN 

Shut  your  eyes  and  try  it. 
BOY 

Well,  I  know  what  you  are.     That  would  be 

easy. 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BLINDMAN 

I'll  pretend  I'm  somebody  else.     (Feels  with 
his  stick;  touches  bench.   Feels  around  again.) 

BOY 

Why  are  you  doing  that? 

BLINDMAN 

To  see  how  far  I  can  walk  without  bumping  into 
something. 

BOY 

Urn— 

BLINDMAN 

Ready? 

BOY 

(hides  face  in  hands)    Yes. 

BLINDMAN 

Don't  peep.     (The  Boy  tries  hard  not  to.) 

BOY 

I  won't. 

BLINDMAN 

All  ready   (shuffles  like  a  commoner)     Who 
was  it? 
BOY 

A  poor  man. 

BLINDMAN 

See  how  easy? 

BOY 

I  could  see  him  as  plain  as  if  I  had  my  eyes  open. 
.     .     .     Now  try  me  again. 

BLINDMAN 

Ready? 

BOY 

All  right.     (The  Blindman  seems  to  grow  in 
33 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


height.  His  face  is  filled  with  a  rare  brightness. 
He  steadies  himself  a  moment  and  then  walks 
magnificently  down  the  room.) 

BOY  (in  beautiful  wonder) 
A  noble  !    I  could  see  him. 

BLINDMAN 

All  you  have  to  do  is  try. 
BOY 

I  always  thought  it  was  terrible  to  be  blind. 

BLINDMAN 

Sometimes  it  is. 

BOY 

But  I  thought  everything  was  black. 

BLINDMAN 

It  used  to  be  until  I  taught  myself  how  to  see. 
BOY 

Why  is  it  terrible  sometimes? 

BLINDMAN. 

Because  I  cannot  help  the  poor  who  need  help. 
If  I  had  money  I  could  feed  the  hungry  and 
clothe  the  poor  little  beggar  children  in  winter ! 

BOY 

Would  a  pail  of  gold  and  a  pair  of  finger  rings 
help  you  feed  the  hungry  and  clothe  the  poor 
•  little  beggar  children  in  winter? 

BLINDMAN 

A  pail  of  gold  I  I  have  dreamed  of  what  I 
might  do  with  so  much  wealth ! 

BOY 

I  can  get  a  pail  of  gold  if  I  break  a  promise. 

BLINDMAN 

Would  you  break  a.  promise? 
34 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

.     .     .     No — but — No! 

BLINDMAN 

Of  course  you  wouldn't. 

BOY 

I  couldn't  break,  a  promise  for  two  pails  of  gold. 

BLINDMAN 

Nor  twenty-two,  little  boy. 

BOY 

When  you  walked  like  a  noble  I  saw  a  beautiful 
man  behind  my  eyes  with  a  crown  of  gold. 

BLINDMAN 

If  you  broke  a  promise  for  a  pail  of  gold  and 
two  finger  rings  you  would  never  see  a  beautiful 
noble  with  a  crown  of  gold  when  you  closed  your 
eyes.    .    .    . 
BOY 

Can  blind  men  see  beautiful  things  even  when 
it's  rainy? 

BLINDMAN 

Blindmen  can  always  see  beautiful  things  if  they 
try.  Clouds  and  raia  are  beautiful  to  me,  and 
when  I  get  wet  I  think  of  the  sunshine.  I  saw 
sunshine  with  my  eyes  when  I  was  a  little  boy. 
Now  I  see  it  with  my  whole  body  when  it  warms 
me.  I  saw  rain  with  my  eyes  when  I  was  a  little 
boy.  Now  I  see  it  with  my  hands  when  it  falls 
on  them  —  drop  —  drop  — drop  —  dropity — 
dropity — and  I  love  it  because  it  makes  the 
lentils  grow. 
BOY 

I  never  thought  of  that.     Rain  makes  me  stay 
indoors,  and  I  never  like  it  except  in  June. 

35 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BLINDMAN 

You  doru't  have  to  stay  in  for  long. 

BOY 

Can  blind  men  see  beautiful  things  in  a  behead 
ing? 

BLINDMAN 

No.  But  I  must  be  there  with  the  crowd.  I 
shall  tell  stones  to  the  people  and  perhaps  they 
will  give  me  food  or  money. 

BOY 

Can't  you  stay  and  tell  me  stories? 

BLINDMAN 

No.  I  must  be  on  my  way.  .  .  .  If  I  do  not 
see  the  beheading  I  cannot  tell  about  it  when  I 
meet  someone  who  was  not  there.*  Oh,  I  shall 
make  a  thrilling  tale  of  it. 

BOY 

Tell  it  to  me  when  you  come  back. 

BLINDMAN 

If  you  give  me  some  cooked  lentils. 
BOY 

I'll  save  you  some. 

BLINDMAN 

Are  the  lentils  nearly  done? 

BOY 

Half. 

BLINDMAN 

I  must  be  on  my  way  then.    .    .    .    Good-bye. 
(Starting  to  go  in  the  wrong  direction.) 
BOY 

Here's  the  door. 

BLINDMAN 

Thank  you,  little  boy.    .    .    .    Don't  forget  to 

36 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

see  with  your  ears  and  nose  and  lingers.     (The 
Blindman  goes  out.) 
BOY 

I  won't. 

BLINDMAN 

Good-bye. 

BOY 

Good-bye.  ( The  Boy  covers  his  eyes  and  tries 
to  see  with  his  ears  and  his  nose)  It's  easier 
with  the  ears.  (Singing  is  heard.  Enter  the 
Ballad-Singer.) 

SINGER 

Hello! 

BOY 

Hello! 

SINGER 

How  are  you? 
BOY 

I'm  very  well. 

SINGER 

That's  good. 

BOY 

Thank  you. 

SINGER 

Cooking? 

BOY 

Yes. 

SINGER 

(coming  into  room)     Something  good? 
BOY 
Lentils. 

SINGER 

Give  me  some? 

37 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

They  aren't  done. 

SINGER 

Nearly.     I  can  smell  them. 
BOY 

Do  you  like  them? 
SINGER 

When  I'm  hungry. 

BOY 

Are  you  hungry  now? 
SINGER 

I'm  always  hungry.     (They  laugh.) 
BOY 

Were  you  singing? 
SINGER 

Yes. 

BOY 

Do  you  like  to  sing? 
SINGER 

When  I  get  something  for  my  ballads, 

BOY 

Are  you  a  ballad-singer? 
SINGER 
Yes. 

BOY 

Sing  one  for  me? 
SINGER 

Give  me  some  lentils  ? 
BOY 

I'll  give  you  some  raw  lentils. 
SINGER 

I  want  some  of  the  cooked  ones. 

38 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

They  aren't  done. 
SINGER 

Are  they  nearly  done? 
BOY 

More  than  half. 

SINGER 

I  like  them  that  way. 
BOY 

All  right.    Sing  me  a  ballad. 
SINGER 

Well,  give  me  the  lentils  first. 
BOY 

Oh,  no ;  sing  the  ballad  first. 

SINGER 

No,  sir;  give  me  the  lentils  first. 
BOY 

That  isn't  fair. 
SINGER 

Why  not  ?    After  I  sing  to  you  maybe  you  won't 

pay  me. 

BOY 

Yes,  I  will. 

SINGER 

Then  why  not  pay  me  first? 
BOY 

You  might  not  sing. 
SINGER  (laughing) 

Yes,  I  will. 
BOY  (laughing) 

Well,  I'll  give  you  some  lentils  at  the  end  of 

each  verse. 

39 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


SINGER 

That's  a  bargain. 

BOY 

Sing. 
SINGER  (sings  one  line) 

Six  stalwart  sons  the  miller  had — 

Give  me  the  lentils. 

BOY 

Finish  that  verse. 

SINGER 

I  did  finish  it. 
BOY 

Now  that's  not  fair.    You  only  sang  a  line. 

SINGER 

Well,  a  line's  a  verse. 
BOY 

(with  a  gesture  that  indicates  how  long  a  'verse 
ought  to  be)     I  meant  a  whole  verse. 

SINGER 

(mimicking  the  gesture)  A  line's  a  whole  verse. 
BOY 

Oh,  now,  be  fair;  I  mean  a  whole,  whole  verse. 
SINGER 

You  mean  a  stanza. 

BOY 

I  always  heard  it  called  a  verse. 
SINGER 

Well,  keep  to  the  bargain.  I  sang  a  verse.  Give 

me  some  lentils. 
BOY 

(rising  and  taking  a  very  few  lentils  on  his 

spoon)     Next  time  I  mean  a  stanza.     .     .     . 
40 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

Here  are  some  lentils.  (The  Ballad-Singer 
eyes  the  meager  portion,  cools  it  and  eats.) 

SINGER 

Stingy. 

BOY 

Isn't  that  some  lentils? 

SINGER  (laughs) 
Well— 

BOY 

Now  begin  again. 
SINGER 

At  the  end  of  every  stanza  a  spoonful  of  lentils. 

BOY 

I  didn't  say  a  spoonful. 

SINGER 

(starts  to  go)    Very  well,  I  won't  sing  a  ballad. 

BOY 

All  right.  I'll  give  you  a  spoonful  at  the  end 
of  each — stanza.  (He  sits  on  the  floor  by  the 
pot  of  lentils.) 

SINGER  (sings) 

The  Ballad  of  the  Miller  and  his  Six  Sons 

Six  stalwart  sons  the  miller  had — 

All  brave  and  fair  to  see — 
He  taught  them  each  a  worthy  trade 

And  they  grew  gallantly. 
Tara — da — da — da-da-da — da-da-da 

Tara — da — da — da-de — da-dee. 

Give  me  some  lentils. 

BOY 

Here.     .     .     .     Hurry  up. 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


SINGER  (sings) 

The  first  was  John  of  the  dimpled  chin — 

And  a  fist  of  iron  had  he — 
He  learned  to  wield  the  broadsword  well 

And  turned  to  soldiery. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 

BOY 

Please!   Please  don't  stop! 

SINGER 

Keep  to  the  bargain. 

BOY 

Here,  take  two  spoonfuls  and  finish  without 
stopping. 

SINGER  (sings  rest  of  ballad) 

The  second  son  was  christened  Hugh — 

And  curly  locks  had  he — 
He  learned  to  use  the  tabor  and  lute 

And  turned  to  minstrelsy. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 

The  third  was  James  of  the  gentle  ways, 

And  speech  of  gold  had  he— 
He  learned  his  psalms  and  learned  his  creed 

And  turned  to  simony. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 

The  fourth  was  Dick  of  the  hazel  eye, 

And  a  steady  hand  had  he — 
With  a  hammer  and  saw  and  a  chest  of  tools 

He  turned  to  carpentry. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 

42 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

The  fifth  was  Ned  of  the  velvet  tread, 
And  feather  fingers  had  he — 

He  used  his  gifts  in  a  naughty  way 
And  turned  to  burglary. 

Tar  a — da — da,  etc. 

The  sixth  was  Robin,  surnamed  the  Rare — 

For  always  young  was  he — 
He  learned  the  joy  of  this  sunny  world 

And  turned  to  poetry. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 

The  miller  approached  three  score  and  ten — 

A  happy  man  was  he — 
His  five  good  sons  and  the  one  who  was  bad 

All  turned  to  gallantry. 
Tara — da — da,  etc. 
BOY 

Sing  me  another. 
SINGER 

A  spoonful  at  the  end  of  every  stanza. 
BOY 

Don't  stop  after  you  begin. 

SINGER 

Pay  me  in  advance. 

BOY 

I  suppose  I'll  have  to.     (He  feeds  the  Ballad- 
Singer.) 

SINGER  (sings  second  ballad) 

The  Ballad  of  the  Three  Little  Pigs 
Two  little  pigs  were  pink — pink — pink — 
And  one  little  pig  was  black — black— 
The  three  little  pigs  were  very  good  friends, 
But  one  little  pig  was  black — black. 

43 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


Three  little  pigs  would  play — play — play — 
But  one  little  pig  was  black — black— 
And  three  little  pigs  would  have  a  jolly  time, 
Though  one  little  pig  was  black — black. 

Three  little  pigs  soon  grew — grew — grew — 
And  one  little  pig  was  black — black. 
The  three  little  pigs  became  fat  hogs — 
And  one  fat  hog  was  black — black. 

The  two  fat  hogs  were  pink — pink — pink — 
And  one  fat  hog  was  black — black. 
The  three  fat  hogs  all  made  good  ham, 
Though  one  fat  hog  was  black — black. 

BOY 

Sing  me  another. 

SINGER 

I  can't.    I'm  tired. 

BOY 

Are  you  going  to  sing  those  at  the  beheading? 

SINGER 

What  beheading? 

BOY 

At  the  Queen's  beheading? 

SINGER 
Where? 

BOY 

Over  there. 

SINGER 
When? 


BOY 

To-day. 


44 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

SINGER 

I  must  be  going.  Certainly  I'll  sing  there,  and 
I'll  take  up  a  collection. 

BOY 

It's  going  to  be  before  the  King's  four  clocks 
strike  twelve. 

SINGER 

It's  nearly  time  now.  If  I  can  collect  a  piece 
of  gold  I  can  buy  a  vermilion  robe  and  sing  at 
the  King's  court. 

BOY 

I  could  collect  a  pail  of  gold  and  two  finger 
rings  and  sit  at  the  feet  of  the  King  if  I'd  break 
a  promise. 

SINGER 

Perhaps  you  will. 

boY 

Would  you? 

SINGER 

I'd  rather  sing  along  the  highway  all  my  life. 
It  is  better  to  dream  of  a  vermilion  robe  than 
to  have  one  that  is  not  honestly  got. 

BOY 

The  Blindman  said  something  like  that. 

SINGER 

Who  said  what? 
BOY 

The  Blindman  said  if  I  broke  a  promise  I'd 
never  again  see  a  beautiful  noble  with  a  golden 
crown  when  I  closed  my  eyes. 

SINGER 

He  was  right. 

45 


six  WHO"  PASS 


BOY 

When  you  get  your  vermilion  robe  will  you 
let  me  see  it? 

SINGER 

That  I  will.    .    .    .    Good-bye. 
Good-bye.     (Singer  goes  out.) 

BOY 

(hums  a  snatch  of  the  ballads.) 
(The  Headsman  steps  into  the  door  and  plants 
his  axe  beside  him  for  an  impressive  picture. 
The  Boy  turns  and  starts  in  terror.) 

HEADSMAN 

Have  you  seen  the  Queen? 
BOY 
Sir? 

HEADSMAN 

Have  you  seen  the  Queen  ? 
BOY 

How  should  I,  sir?  I've  been  cooking  the  len 
tils. 

HEADSMAN 

She  is  here ! 
EOY 

How — could — she — be — here,  sir  ? 

HEADSMAN 

Well,  if  she  isn't  here,  where  is  she  ? 
BOY  (relieved) 

I  don't  know  where  she  is  if  she  isn't  here,  sir. 

HEADSMAN 

She  has  too  much  sense  to  hide  so  near  the  castle 
and  on  the  short  cut  to  the  headsman's  block. 
.  .  .  Do  you  know  who  I  am  ? 

46 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

I  think  so — sir. 

HEADSMAN 

Think?    Don't  you  know? 

BOY 

Yes,  sir. 

HEADSMAN 

Who  am  I,  then? 
BOY 

You're  the  Dreadful  Headsman. 

HEADSMAN 

I  am  the  winder  of  the  King's  four  clocks,  and 
when  I  am  needed  I  am  the  best  headsman  in 
three  kingdoms.  And  this  is  my  axe. 

BOY 

Is  it  sharp? 

HEADSMAN 

It  will  split  a  hare  in  two.     (Runs  finger  near 
blade  meaningly.) 
BOY 

Oh! 

HEADSMAN 

A  hare  in  two ! 

BOY 

Would  you  really  cut  off  the  Queen's  head? 

HEADSMAN 

That's  my  business — to  cut  off  heads — and  the 
nobler  the  head,  the  better  my  business. 

BOY 

She's  such  a  nice  queen. 

HEADSMAN 

Have  you  seen  her? 

47 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

Y — es,  sir. 

HEADSMAN 

When? 

BOY 

One  day — when  I  was  boiling  some  lentils. 

HEADSMAN 

Did  you  see  her  neck? 
BOY 

Yes,  sir. 

HEADSMAN 

Not  much  bigger  than  a  hare. 

BOY  (desperately  friendly) 
Have  you  seen  my  knife? 

HEADSMAN  (sharply) 

I'm  talking  about  the  Queen,  and  I'm  going  to 
talk  about  myself  until  I  hear  the  King's  trum 
peter  calling  me  to  the  beheading. 

BOY 

Yes,  sir.  (Edging  between  the  bench  and  door 
of  the  room  where  the  Queen  is  hidden.) 

HEADSMAN 

Sit  down. 

BOY 

I'd  rather  stand,  sir. 

HEADSMAN 

Sit  down!  And  I'll  tell  you  how  I'm  going  to 
behead  the  Queen. 

BOY 

You  can't  behead  her  after  the  King's  four 
clocks  have  struck  twelve. 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

HEADSMAN 

How  did  you  know  that  ? 

BOY 

(realizing  his  blunder)     Well — 

HEADSMAN 

Nobody  knows  that  except  the  royal  family  and 
people  of  the  court. 

BOY 

A  little — bird  told — me. 

HEADSMAN 

Where  is  the  little  bird  that  I  may  cut  its  head 
off? 

BOY 

Don't  hurt  the  little  bird;  but  tell  me  how  you 
are  going  to  behead  the  Queen. 

HEADSMAN 

Well —  (At  the  stool)  This  is  the  block. 
There's  the  Queen  behind  the  iron  gate.  We'll 
say  that  door  is  the  gate.  (The  Boy  starts) 
And  out  there  is  the  crowd.  Now,  I  appear 
like  this  and  walk  up  the  steps.  The  crowd 
cheers,  so  I  bow  and  show  myself  and  my  axe. 
(He  bows  elaborately  three  times  and  then 
poses  for  one  magnificent  moment)  Then  I 
walk  over  to  the  gate — 

BOY 

Don't  go  in  there.  That's  my  mother's  room, 
and  you  might  frighten  her. 

HEADSMAN 

Who's  in  your  mother's  room? 

BOY 

She  is. 

49 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


HEADSMAN 

Well,  if  she's  in  there,  maybe  she'd  like  to  hear 
my  story. 

BOY 

She's  in  bed. 

HEADSMAN 

Sick?  (The  Boy  nods  vigorously)  All  right. 
.  .  .  Well,  I've  bowed  to  the  crowd  and  I 
start  for  the  Queen —  If  you  won't  open  the 
door,  you  pretend  you're  the  Queen. 

BOY 

I  don't  want  to  be  the  Queen. 

HEADSMAN 

Come  on  and  pretend.  I  walk  up  to  the  gate — 
so,  and  open  it,  and  then  I  say,  "Your  Majesty, 
I'm  going  to  cut  off  your  head,"  and  she  bows 
— Bow —  (The  Boy  bows)  And  then  I  say, 
"Are  you  ready?"  and  she  says,  "I  am  ready." 
Then  I  blindfold  her — 

BOY 

Now,  don't  blindfold  me,  sir! 

HEADSMAN 

I'm  showing  you  how  it's  done. 

BOY 

But  if  you  blindfold  me  I  can't  see  you  when  you 
do  it. 

HEADSMAN 

(admitting  the  point)  All  right.  .  .  .  Then 
I  blindfold  her  and  I  lead  her  to  the  block  and 
I  say,  "Have  you  made  your  peace  with 
Heaven?"  and  she  says,  "Yes."  .  .  . 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

BOY 

If  you  won't  tell  me  any  more  I'll  give  you  my 
knife. 

HEADSMAN 

Aren't  you  interested? 

BOY 

Yes ;  but  your  axe  is  so  sharp,  and  it  might  slip. 

HEADSMAN 

Sharp?    It  will  cut  a  hair  in  two;  but  I  know 
how  to  handle  it.    ... 
BOY 

How  do  you  spell  hair? 

HEADSMAN 

Either  way.  .  .  .  Come  on.  ...  (The 
Boy  reluctantly  falls  into  the  picture  again) 
And  then.  ...  (Raising  his  axe)  And  then. 
.  .  .  (Headsman  sees  the  Butterfly)  And 
then.  .  .  .  How-d'-ye-do,  Butterfly  (The 
Boy  runs  to  the  pot  unnoticed  by  the  Heads 
man.) 
BOY 

Lentils,  lentils,  boil  the  time  away, 

That  my  good  queen  may  live  to-day. 

(The  Headsman  and  the  Butterfly  are  having 

quite  a  game.    Suddenly  the  great  clock  begins 

to  strike  and  the  two  next  larger  follow  slowly. 

The  Headsman  rushes  to  the  back  door  with 

his  axe.) 

HEADSMAN 

Why  doesn't  the  trumpeter  blow  his  call  ?  (The 
Boy  counts  the  strokes  of  the  clock,  and  as  the 
third  clock  strikes  twelve  he  rushes  to  the  door 
of  the  bedroom.) 

51 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


BOY 

Queen !   Queen !   It's  mid-day ! 

HEADSMAN 

Queen — Queen —  (He  strides  to  the  bedroom 
and  drags  the  Queen  out)  The  little  clock 
hasn't  struck  yet !  (He  pulls  the  Queen  toward 
the  rear  door  and  shouts)  Here !  Here !  Don't 
let  the  little  clock  strike !  I've  won  the  pail  of 
gold!  ( The  Boy  has  set  the  bench  in  the  door 
way  so  that  the  Headsman  stumbles.  The  But 
terfly  keeps  flying  against  the  Headsman's  noset 
which  makes  him  sneeze.) 

BOY 

No  one  heard  you ! 

QUEEN 

Let  me  go !  Let  me  go ! 

HEADSMAN 

(sneezing  as  only  a  headsman  can)  The  Queen ! 
The  Queen!  (The  little  clock  begins  to  strike. 
The  Boy  counts  eagerly,  one,  two,  three,  etc. 
Between  strokes  the  Headsman  sneezes  and 
shouts)  The  Queen!  The  Queen!  (At  the 
fifth  stroke  the  Headsman  falls  on  his  knees. 
The  Queen  becomes  regal,  her  foot  on  his  neck. 
The  Boy  kneels  at  her  side.) 

QUEEN 

Base  villain !  According  to  the  law  I  am  saved ! 
But  you  are  doomed.  As  Winder  of  the  King's 
four  clocks  the  law  commands  that  you  be  de 
capitated  because  the  four  clocks  did  not  strike 
together.  Do  you  know  that  law  ? 

HEADSMAN 

Oh,  Lady,  I  do;  but  I  did  but  do  my  duty.    I 
52 


WHILE  THE  LENTILS  BOIL 

was  sharpening  my  axe  this  morning  and  I 
couldn't  wind  the  clocks.     Intercede  for  me. 

QUEEN 

It  is  useless. 

BOY 

Is  there  any  other  headsman? 

QUEEN 

The  law  says  the  Chief  Headsman  must  behead 
the  Chief  Winder  of  the  King's  four  clocks. 

BOY 

Can  the  Dreadful  Headsman  behead  himself? 

QUEEN 

Aye,  there's  the  difficulty. 

HEADSMAN 

Oh,  your  Majesty,  pardon  me! 

BOY 

Yes,  pardon  him. 

QUEEN 

On  one  condition :  He  is  to  give  his  axe  to  the 
museum  and  devote  all  his  old  age  to  the  care 
of  the  King's  four  clocks.  .  .  .  For  myself,  I 
shall  pass  a  law  requiring  the  ladies  of  the  court 
to  wear  no  jewels.  So,  if  the  King's  aunt  can 
wear  no  rings,  she  assuredly  cannot  have  a  ring- 
toe,  and  hereafter  I  may  step  where  I  please. 
Sir  Headsman,  lead  the  way.  .  .  . 
And  now,  my  little  boy,  to  you  I  grant  every 
Friday  afternoon  an  hour's  sport  with  the 
Mime;  a  spotted  cow  for  the  little  Milkmaid;  a 
cushion  and  a  canopy  at  the  palace  gate  for  the 
Blindman;  a  vermilion  cloak  for  the  Ballad- 
Singer;  a  velvet  gown,  a  silken  kerchief,  and  a 
cloth-of-gold  bonnet  for  your  mother,  and  for 

53 


SIX  WHO  PASS 


yourself  a  milk-white  palfry,  two  pails  of  gold, 
two  finger  rings,  a  castle,  and  a  sword.  .  .  . 
Arise,  Sir  Little-Boy.  .  .  .  Your  arm. 

BOY 

May  I  take  my  knife,  your  Majesty? 

QUEEN 

That  you  may.  (He  gets  the  knife  and  returns 
to  her.  She  lays  her  hand  on  his  arm)  Sir 
Headsman,  announce  our  coming. 

HEADSMAN 

Make  way — make  way  for  her  Majesty  the 
Queen. 

QUEEN  (correcting) 
And  Sir  Little-Boy. 

HEADSMAN 

What's  his  other  name,  your  Majesty? 

BOY 

(whispering  with  the  wonder  of  it  all)     Da  vie. 

QUEEN 

(to  the  Headsman)    Davie. 

HEADSMAN 

Make  way — make  way  for  her  Majesty  the 
Queen  and  Sir  Davie  Little-Boy.  (They  go 
out.  Immediately  the  Boy  returns  and  gets  the 
pot  of  lentils  and  runs  after  the  Queen  as 

The  Curtains  Close.) 

(3) 


54 


GOODNIGHT,  PLEASE! 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  James  L.  Daggett.  4  males,  3  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Merideth  Whitehouse  has  now  become  president  of  the  First 
National  Bank  and  is  in  a  position  to  indulge  a  fantastic  fancy 
—to  stay  in  bed  for  a  week.  It  is  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day 
and  we  discover  that  this  unconventional  vacation  is  driving 
his  entire  household  crazy.  His  wife,  his  daughter,  his  valet, 
his  brother-in-law,  his  vice-president  and  his  cook  all  storm 
into  the  bedroom  in  their  attempts  to  make  him  see  that  this 
is  a  ridiculous  performance  for  a  grown  man.  Finally,  they 
team  up  in  a  last  frantic  effort,  but  Merideth  is  saved  for  the 
week. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 

KISS  THE  STAR 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Josephine  Victor  and  Scott 
Farnworth.  4  males,  2  females.  Interior.  Modern 
costumes.  25  minutes. 

Ken  and  Bert  run  The  Star,  a  college  paper  in  which  they 
have  conducted  a  matching  contest  to  raise  money  to  produce 
the  annual  campus  follies,  Kiss  The  Star.  The  prize  is  a  date 
with  Mary,  Ken's  girl  who  is  tentatively  scheduled  for  the  lead 
in  Kiss  The  Star,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Hiram 
Hitcherpuss  of  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  is  announced  as  the  win 
ner  after  Bert  and  Ken  have  assured  themselves  that  there  is 
no  such  person.  But  suddenly  Hiram  arrives  and  the  fun  be 
gins!  Especially  recommended  for  high  schools  and  groups 
of  young  people. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 

FRIGHT 

Drama,  i  act.  By  James  Reach.  3  males,  2  females. 
Interior.  Modern  costumes.  35  minutes. 

John  Fairbride,  a  well-to-do  business  man,  has  ample  reason 
to  believe  his  life  is  in  danger.  Finally,  John  receives  this  note: 
"By  twelve  o'clock  tonight  you  will  be  dead."  John,  bewil 
dered,  his  nerves  at  the  breaking  point  from  the  long  strain, 
becomes  a  victim  of  his  imagination.  To  each  of  his  family  and 
friends  his  fancy  can  ascribe  some  reason  for  wanting  him 
dead.  Then,  just  at  the  stroke  of  twelve,  the  murderer  strikes. 
A  clever  twist,  and  the  ends  of  Justice  are  served. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


THE  SIGN  OF  THE  FOUR 

Mystery,  i  act.  By  John  Hershey.  From  the  story 
of  the  same  name  by  Sir  Arthur  Conan  Doyle.  6 
males.  Interiors.  Costumes,  1888.  35  minutes. 

The  technique  used  in  this  play  utilizes  for  the  first  time 
on  the  stage  the  newer  methods  of  radio.  The  story,  of  course, 
recounts  the  adventures  that  befell  certain  British  officers 
when  they  attempted  to  steal  the  famous  Agra  treasure  of 
India,  and  the  inevitable  doom  that  overtook  them— with  a 
dash  of  romance  added.  This  play,  simple  to  produce,  should 
have  a  universal  audience  appeal. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cent*. 

HIS  FIRST  DATE 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  James  Reach.  2  males,  4  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Henry  is  wild,  mischievous,  fond  of  boyish  pranks,  but  his 
mother  takes  comfort  from  the  knowledge  that  he's  not  in 
volved  in  affairs  with  the  opposite  sex.  Then  the  blow  falls: 
Loraine  Lotus,  Hollywood  siren  with  a  not-too-savory  repu 
tation  comes  to  town  and  Henry  succumbs.  She  strings  along 
for  the  publicity  value  of  the  Tippet  name,  is  invited  by 
Henry  to  the  house.  Henry's  father,  determined  to  put  an  end 
to  the  affair  in  his  masterly  way,  is  dismayed  to  discover  that 
Loraine  Lotus  is  a  girl  he  knew  very  well  indeed  years  ago  in 
his  own  wild-oats  days. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents, 

A  YOUNG  MAN'S  FANCY 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Hilda  Manning.  3  males,  3 
females.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Donnie  Hoofle,  at  sixteen,  is  about  to  have  his  first  impor 
tant  "date."  Although  only  a  high-school  junior,  he  has  se 
cured  two  tickets  for  the  college's  Freshman  Hop,  and  has 
invited  Bertitia  Butt.  Joo-Joo  Miller,  fifteen  and  enamored 
of  Donnie,  feels  all  is  lost  when  he  tells  her  he  couldn't  think 
of  taking  a  mere  infant  of  her  years  to  an  important  function 
like  the  hop.  Tragedy  rears  its  ugly  head  when  Donnie  dis 
covers  that  Bertitia  is  the  college's  perennial  wall-flower.  An 
excellent,  shrewdly  contrived  play  for  young  amateurs. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


THE  PERFECT  GENTLEMAN 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Anna  Best  Joder.  2  males,  3 
females.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Margaret  Ames,  in  high  school,  has  a  crush  on  her  chemistry 
teacher,  Mr.  Crawford,  and  invites  him  to  dinner.  She  insists 
on  lowered  shades  and  lighted  candles — and  tries  to  instruct 
her  young  brother,  Bob,  how  to  be  a  gentleman.  Her  sister, 
Alicia,  comes  home  from  college  for  the  week  end  and  at  once 
Alicia  and  Mr.  Crawford  are  interested  in  each  other.  Bob  tries 
to  be  on  good  behavior  but  after  entertaining  Mr.  Crawford 
with  Alicia's  baby  book  he  finds  his  efforts  aren't  appreciated. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


WHEN  YOU   MARRY  THE  NAVY 

Farce-comedy,  i  act.  By  John  Kirkpatrick.  i  male, 
7  females.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  40  minutes. 

On  a  small  island  in  the  Pacific  Mrs.  De  Forrest,  a  weeping 
Navy  wife,  is  waiting  for  her  husband's  ship  to  appear.  On  the 
island  is  Archie  Vickers  who  drives  Mrs.  Fyfe  and  her  two 
daughters,  Katherine  and  Jerry,  to  Mrs.  Westcott's  when  they 
disembark  from  a  passenger  ship.  Katherine  is  engaged  to  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Navy.  Jerry  and  Archie  get  along  fine  and 
when  the  transport  ship  comes  to  take  the  women  to  another 
island  they  all  hurriedly  get  on  the  transport  to  follow  the 
Navy. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


A  YOUNG  MAN'S  FANCY 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Hilda  Manning.  3  males,  3  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Donnie  Hoofle,  at  sixteen,  is  about  to  have  his  first  important 
"date."  Although  only  a  high -school  junior,  he  has  secured  two 
tickets  for  the  college's  Freshman  Hop,  and  has  invited  Bertitia 
Butt.  Joo-Joo  Miller,  fifteen  and  enamored  of  Donnie,  feels  all 
is  lost.  Donnie  discovers  that  Bertitia  is  the  college's  perennial 
wall-flower,  but  at  sixteen  the  tragic  mood  is  not  one  to  per 
sist;  a  natural  and  quite  inevitable  way  out  is  suggested  to 
Donnie. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 

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DUST  OF  THE  ROAD 

Drama,  i  act.  By.,.  Kenneth  Sawyer  Goodman.  3 
males,  i  female.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  25  min 
utes. 

Prudence  Steele,  wife  of  Peter  Steele,  farmer,  turns  from  her 
door  on  Christmas  eve  an  old  man  whose  hands  are  bandaged 
and  bloody.  Prudence  is  surprised  by  a  tramp  who  chides  her 
and  reveals  himself  as  the  wandering  Judas.  Peter  has  had 
entrusted  to  him  thirty  one-hundred  dollar  bills  and  he  is 
tempted  to  keep  the  money,  but  the  sound  of  thirty  pieces  of 
money  tinkling  in  Judas's  pocket  convinces  him  of  his  wrong. 
As  the  dawn  of  Christmas  day  comes  up,  Peter  and  Prudence 
rejoice  in  a  new  happiness  that  comes  of  honesty. 

(Royalty,  $5.00  if  no  admission  is  charged;  $10.00  if  admis 
sion  is  charged.)  Price,  50  cents. 

THE  TEACHER 

Comedy,  i  act.  By  Fred  Eastman.  3  males,  5  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

Miss  Blake,  an  alert  and  popular  teacher  of  literature  in  a 
small  city  high  school,  is  about  to  be  discharged  because  the 
school  board  has  heard  complaints  from  parents  that  she  has 
stirred  up  the  young  people  in  her  classes  on  questions  of 
social  reform.  Four  high  school  seniors  resolve  to  rally  to  her 
aid  and  appear  before  the  executive  committee  of  the  school 
board  to  plead  her  cause.  As  the  curtain  falls  there  is  a  good 
chance  that  her  contract  will  be  renewed. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 

A  PSALM  OF  THANKSGIVING 

Drama,  i  act.  By  Katherine  Kester.  2  males,  2  fe 
males.  Interior.  Modern  costumes.  30  minutes. 

A  train  is  wrecked  in  a  Thanksgiving  morning  blizzard,  and 
the  passengers  take  refuge  in  a  small  railway  station.  Among 
them  are:  an  old  lady,  on  her  way  to  spend  the  rest  of  her 
life  in  a  sanitarium;  a  nurse,  who  is  fighting  to  overcome  klep 
tomaniac  tendencies;  and  a  detective,  who  is  on  her  trail.  The 
nurse  risks  discovery  as  she  uses,  for  first  aid,  equipment  stolen 
from  a  hospital.  How  the  chance  reading  of  a  psalm,  by  the 
rough  Station  Agent,  affects  their  lives  and  brings  them  the 
real  meaning  of  Thanksgiving,  is  shown  in  the  development  of 
the  simple  plot. 

(Royalty,  $5.00.)  Price,  35  cents. 


